Single Households Could Be the Norm Within a Decade
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Single households are expected to be the most common domestic setup in Korea within a decade.
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According to Statistics Korea on Tuesday, the most common domestic setup in 2015 was a couple and children, making up 32.3 percent of total households. But already single households were next with 27.2 percent.
Now one-person households are multiplying and are expected to overtake nuclear families by 2026. By 2045, they are expected to account for 36.3 percent of households or 8.09 million. By then nuclear families will make up only 15.9 percent or 3.54 million.
Lee Ji-yeon at Statistics Korea said, "The population is declining due to a low birthrate, and as life spans increase due to an aging population, more people will live alone".
Senior citizens living alone are expected to account for a growing proportion of single households. In 2015, 36.9 percent of single householders were under 39 and 30 percent senior citizens. But by 2045, senior citizens will make up 54 percent and those under 39 21.9 percent.